Sequins

Sequins got their name from the Arabic “sikka” which meaning a coin or die. In the 13th century, the local public mint of the Republic of Venice produced 3.5 gram gold coins it produced and named it “zecchin”. The French altered the Venetian word to sequin. So In the cultures where these sequins were used, they had tradition of stitching sequins and similar coins to woman's clothing, particularly headdresses, face veils, and over the bosom and hips, in this way this ancient custom led to the use of sequined fabric and trims in modern fashion, and expanded the definition of sequin beyond coins to include this particular type of decoration. Although coins are still used as sequins in some cultures, modern sequins tend to be made of plastic. Even though they are not exactly a bead, sequins are often used together with beads in Embroidery work. They are round pieces of plastic or metal, and either have a hole in the center or to one side. They can also be either flat or cupped. The most common sequin styles are 3mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 9mm. Generally sequins are used as decorations for garments and sewn items. The ones with center holes are sewn in rows or individually for the right effect, and the sequins with a hole on the side can be used to form clusters that hang or in fringe Embroidery work. Sequins may be stitched flat to the fabric, so that they do not move, and are less likely to fall off; or they may be stitched at only one point, so that they dangle and move easily, to catch more light.